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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24033838">Numb</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalSurvivor/pseuds/EternalSurvivor'>EternalSurvivor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Naruto Rare Pairs [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, F/M, Good versus Evil, Jealousy, Murder, Naruto Rare Pair Week 2020, Not Happy, Prompt: Any AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:08:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24033838</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalSurvivor/pseuds/EternalSurvivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Karin looks at the hero who once tempted her towards the light and feels... nothing. </p><p>She's numb.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aburame Shino/Inuzuka Kiba (background), Inuzuka Kiba/Karin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Naruto Rare Pairs [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1417702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Numb</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my third one-shot for Naruto Rare Pair Week over on Tumblr. It's for the Prompt Any AU with Karin and Kiba as a pairing (and ShinoKiba mentioned). </p><p>TRIGGER WARNING: This is a villain and Hero AU. The Hero doesn't win. Nothing graphic, but double-read the tags before moving forward and take care. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why?" The superhero Fang demanded. "Why are you doing this, Karin?” His frustration-laced cry did little to hide the resignation creeping in at the edge of his usual determination. </p><p>She stared down at him, face unwavering blank. A press of heel dug her stiletto between his shoulder blades. “My name is <em>Sensor,</em> you flea-bitten mutt,” she hissed coldly. “Though I suppose remembering that now won’t do you any good.” </p><p>That wildly handsome face went uncharacteristically white, dark eyes widening in realization. “Y-You can’t! Karin, you <em> wouldn’t!” </em>The paled skin made the triangles on his cheeks stand out more prominently. The urge to kiss those scarlet tattoos made her grit her teeth. </p><p>The attraction was just a passing fancy. One she entertained far too long already. Such affections held no place in her life, not when it interfered with Taka’s goals. </p><p>“Let me out of here!” A grunt, rattle and growl only bound him more tightly in her glowing energy chains. They’d once been a source of pride for her long-dead clan, much like her crimson hair. Both distinct characteristics passed from mother to child -a mutation of the Uzumaki. </p><p>Sensor looked at the pinned hero beneath her and wondered what had drawn her to him so blindly. The reasons didn't matter now, not when he gave his heart to another and left her broken. She’d been a fool tempted by his kindness and flowery-sweet words. </p><p>
  <em> ‘I’ve seen the good in you. You could make a difference. We could do that together, Karin.’  </em>
</p><p>Kiba Inuzuka was a liar, a hypocrite.</p><p>The image of him pinning the hero Kikaichu, knocking off his optic visor to kiss <em> him </em> the way she wanted to be kissed, still burned in her memory. </p><p>Looking at him now, Sensor told herself she felt… nothing. </p><p>Only disappointment. </p><p>She knew he expected her to start monologuing. All good villains did that, after all. They gloated and laid their plans bare to see the horror upon those heroic faces. Sensor could rant about the injustice of society, the unlawful desecration of her homeland, the massacre that scattered her once great clan to the wind. Spelling out the failures of their cruel world, of the heroes supposed to protect it, could keep her talking for hours. But that’s exactly what this lovely, wolfish superhero wanted.</p><p>Get her talking, distracted, bide time. His lover’s ethereal beetles would find them. Backup would arrive, fighting tooth and nail to get to Fang before it was too late. Before she enacted her revenge.</p><p>It was only a matter of time. </p><p>Maybe that’s what made tightening her chains around his throat so easy. </p><p>Blue was a lovely colour on his lips. </p><p>Fang went limp, laid out still and beautiful, like a portrait displayed for her viewing pleasure alone. A pang throbbed through her chest. Sensor rubbed the spot absentmindedly. Stepping back from the man who should’ve been<em> hers,</em> her gaze lingered on his face. His dim, unfocused eyes stared at nothing and yet right into her very soul. </p><p>
  <em> Why are you doing this, Karin? </em>
</p><p>Guilt eluded her, yet his words rang in her mind, resounding through her body down to her very core. Her fingers brushed a red triangle on his cheek. Fang’s skin had already begun to cool. </p><p>The song and dance between heroes and villains always played a certain way. That was the unwritten rule for their strange dichotomy. Like the tug-o-war between <em> good </em> and <em> bad </em> was a sport and she an honourable participant.</p><p>A good villain would’ve given back-up a chance to arrive.</p><p>A good villain would’ve let the heroes win. </p><p>A good villain would’ve been able to answer <em> why. </em></p><p>But therein lay the problem. <em> She couldn’t remember why. </em> Fang always insisted she was more than her history. That she could make a genuine change if she tried. For a while, she flirted with temptation, but no traces of <em> good </em>remained in her heart now. Sensor gave herself to the darkness the day her hero gave his affections to another. </p><p>“You should’ve been mine, Kiba. You were supposed to be mine.” </p><p>The <em> why </em> didn’t matter anymore.</p>
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